The night's rest was uncomfortable from the lumpy mattress and it didn't help that he woke up every few minutes crying. The morning light awoke the sleeping father to find him sprawled on the floor outside his bedroom. He was topless, tired and his hair had been left in a loose mess. His drowsy eyes opened to find himself face to face with the carpet. Picking himself up sleepily, he poked his head through to hear the deep breathing of Ira's slumber. Despite being up all night from Ira's bawls it made him happy to hear that his son was finally asleep. Well at least he got some sleep.

Still in his drowsy daze, he trudged to the kitchen area, his feet dragging sleepily on the carpet. Opening the fridge, he found himself coming nose to smell with mouldy food. The smell of the food soon brought him to his senses. The vile stench clogged up his nostrils leaving him choking for fresh air. The stench worked down inside him making his stomach turn. It felt like it was being turned inside and out. Hot saliva filled mouth and with one dash to the bathroom he practically spilled out his guts into the toilet.

Once his stomach had emptied out its own contents, he washed his face and mouth of the acidic taste and turned back to face the vile fridge with mouth and nose covered ready for the confrontation. Slowly, he crept closer to the fridge. The further he got to it, the more his hair stood on end. With one quick clap, the food was transmuted and the matter was manipulated into a new but equal form of penicillin. Even if the food had disappeared the smell still remained. Before any better solution could be thought of, he slammed the fridge door shut and sealed away the stench even if some of it still lingered.

It had been decided. Edward would have to brave the outdoor world in search of food and he would have to do it fast. Ira would be awake soon and to leave the poor child starving without food was more than Edward could bear.

"What did Crow say? Disguise! Change appearance and personality. A new alias, that's Victor Thomas.'

After washing it out from the sink, Edward set out a plastic tub on the table, which he had also filled with water. Dangling his hair into the tub, he clapped his hands and, placing them on the tub, he let the water inside it crawl up his hair. As it crawled up each hair strand it changed the pigmentation of his hair from its usual golden blond to a fiery red colour.

After much ado with fixing up his hair, he collected his coat and transmuted the pigmentation from the black symbol and shared it among the pigmentation of the scarlet red background to transform it into a maroon colour.

Once dressed, he found a mirror in his bedroom and gazing into it he found a face staring back and the two faces admired each other's new appearance. The face staring back looked with his golden eyes in interest at the boy's fiery red hair and new hairstyle. This style constituted of clipped back hair with a hair clip and, shifting his parting from a centred one into a right side parting, he combed in a forced fringe that forced his bangs into non-existence. But no matter differently you described the hair it was, in reality, inspired by the supposedly terrifying 1st Lieutenant herself. Even if that was so, Edward looked like a whole new person but the only thing that could be recognised on him now was the red channel-like scars and bright gold eyes that shone back to him like fiery embers.

"Now for a new personality…" Edward thought. Searching through his head he found the perfect one. It was unlike him in all respects and so it would make his recognition even harder for the person willing to guess.

Before he left flat, he knew precautions had taken. These precautions included protection against people such as thieves, paedophiles, murderers or anyone who could break in and do any harm to Ira. With one clap, a thin layer of brick from the original wall covered the sockets and windows and cupboard draws were sealed off with ease.

"At least he's safe from danger." Locking the door behind him, he was ready to face all the dangers that the outside world had to throw at him.

-Outside-

Edward walked along the street with an air of confidence around him. He felt like the people around couldn't touch or even a lay a finger on him. He felt untouchable. Many of the homeless crept away slowly from this new and frightening presence. With such a fearful appearance such as his the dispossessed would rather much escape a brawl. But there was only one man who did not fear his presence. Crow. But even he did not know the real identity of this new company and so looked on with confusion as many of his followers withdrew from him with anxious expressions on their faces. Turning towards Edward, he looked straight through him as if he was expecting someone else.

'Crow!' Edward called. But having heard his name, Crow's head whizzed frantically having heard the need for his self.

"Is the disguise working?" Edward wondered. Once he'd advanced towards Crow it was time for him to put the new personality into play.

'Crow! I was callin' you not far in the distance and you ignore m' hollers like a plastic duck!'

'Who the hell are you?' Crow shot back as he glared at Edward with a new puzzlement.

'I know you not me from the knowin' of yesterdays' knowin' 'cause what you not know is what I know is the knowin' that my name is Victor and you're fakin' not knowin' when you should bloody well know!' Edward shot back and after giving a thump on the arm tried to recover his breath.

'Victor? Oh! Victor! Sorry. You changed your hair.' Crow laughed with realisation.

'Look. Could you be keepin' a perky lil' eye on Ira while I'm shoppin' for edible grub?'

'Sure. You changed your personality right?'

'How'd you guess?'

'You sound so annoying it's unbelievable!' Crow laughed.

'Ha ha now keep a watch out for me. I feel anxious already being this far away from Ira.' Edward said worriedly as he switched back to his normal frame of speech.

'Don't worry. He'll be fine.'

'Thanks. I won't be long.'

-An Hour later-

Edward had finally managed to free himself from the bonds of food shopping. But it came with a price. All things followed equivalent exchange but there was no way that one-hour, according to equivalent exchange, could equal six heavy shopping bags. But it did and now he was going to be punished for this miscalculation by feeling the strain of the weight and now his arms felt like they were going to disconnect themselves from their sockets because of it.

"Why'd I buy so much?" Edward thought regretting it. "At least this should do us for a while." Edward grinned to himself.

But before he could watch where he was going he felt himself collide with a great force but the greater force had pushed him down to the floor upon collision and food scattered the pavement.

'Are you ok?' A voice asked. It was full of familiarity and it wasn't long before Edward could pinpoint the person. His found his suspicions were correct. It was Breda.

'I'm absolutely fightin' fine but if you don't mind me askin' would you be a dear and help me with these heavy ol' bags?'

-Breda's POV-

The voice! I would know that voice anyway! But it doesn't match the face. This person has red hair not blond! And Edward wears a red coat not a maroon one!

But there's no mistaking the eyes. Those golden eyes and the height is what I'd recall on Edward but the face still throws me off track. The scars. The four huge scars that spread across his face disfiguring his looks. Miss shapening his eyebrows and lips giving the nose an impression of detachment.

'I do thank you again for the help. I real' appreciate it. And my you're so STRONG! I could never've carried those things to m' flat. When I crashed into you I could've decided to be real pissed off wit' ya but I thought: No no! Take advantage of the while you can and save ya self some bother and get a REAL man to help! Especially when he's got MUSCLE!'

It can't be Ed! Even he wasn't THIS annoying. But why did he seem so… flirtatious? There's more to him then I thought.

'Are you… coming on to me?' It's probably stupid to even ask a question like that but still. I want to know his motives.

'Well… maybe I be doing so. Why? Do you mind?'

'Yes actually. But… are you a woman?'

'Well if I really WAS going to take ya home wit' me then I'd show that I am NOT a man!' Gay. I knew it. Just like Ed. But that doesn't rule him out to be Ed at all. It could all jut be coincidences. Right?

'What's your name?'

'Victor. Well that's what my mommy did name me but you can call me any name by it if it's to your likin'. Victor. It sounds familiar but I don't know where from.

'No. That's ok.'

'Do you have a time rollin' by?' Victor asked.

'Yeah. It's… 11 o'clock.'

'Oh dear! I've been away from my little Ira for so long and I don't know what I'd do if I came back and he be starved! We best hurry ourselves along!'

'Aren't you a little young to have a child?'

'He be my lil' bro and a cure one I might add!'

A little brother called Ira? Edward only has one brother called Alphonse. This can't be the real Ed, although I'll have to uphold my suspicions of him for now. Roy might find this useful after all.

'If you hand over my bags then this'll be my stop. Thank the stars I'd crashed into you from afar or I be a while longer with those potato sacks.'

I'll have to make sure I remember the area. East Central? But why would he live here? It's too dangerous for him. But… he looks safe enough. And neither does he seem so scared. Walking down that street, they look more scared of him! Maybe I should be worried about Victor. He could be Edward yet his appearance and appearance all say otherwise. And since when did Ed have disfiguring scars like that? I can only wonder.

I can take a side picture of him as he goes into his flat and then I can give it to Roy. He'll know for sure if it's Ed or not.

Author's note: I know Ed is out of character in this but it's meant to be like this plus it was funny just writing it up. lol